WARNING! Please read before coming to France

[lowdrag]

Someone I know set off several days back for Le Mans trailering the car he is racing in the Legend race on the Saturday. He pulled in to one of the toilet break stops, got out of the car and was immediately surrounded by a band of eastern europeans who relieved him of his passport, money, tools and basically anything portable. DO NOT USE THE "AIRES", ONLY THE SERVICE STATIONS WITH PUMPS AND SHOP on the motorways. The aires are not lit like the main stations. You have been warned.

[Garlick]

Good advice, thank you

[Rude-boy]

Hmm, noted, this is a major concern to us as we always stay at a few of these on the way there and back.

We've never had any trouble before, or even a hint on it.

this one wasn't close to the Port was it? I ask as we are usually stopping further down, an hour or 2 away from our final destination.

[lowdrag]

This wasn't that far from Calais apparently. They are really after passports to get into the UK it seems. However, they aren't stupid and know that a load of English will be stopping anywhere it takes their fancy so I'd still be careful.

[Rude-boy]

We'll be very careful.

Thanks to me having to go to Brands on the Sunday we are now travelling over your side as soon as we can get to Dover and planning on going via an invasion beach or two on Monday so will be off our usual route a touch on the way down

[Skywalker]

Noted.
Thanks Tony

[fatboy18]

Tools at the ready for the bds then

[jackson1204]

The Aires will a burial round if they try on touch us
last year we see a load of blokes running across the autoroute on the way to the ferry

[h4muf]

Thanks for the heads up lowdrag

[jake bullet]

8 pissed off northerners in boxer shorts at 5 in the morning is more than a match i feel but thanks for the warning, bds that they are

[5upra]

Eastern Europeans comitting crime !!!!???? UNTHINKABLE !!!!!!

[hman]

jake bullet said:

8 pissed off northerners in boxer shorts at 5 in the morning is more than a match

Depends if theres 10 beefy eastern european homos with a penchant for english guys in underwear I suppose.

Whatever floats your boat though

[White-Noise]

Thanks for the tip, could certainly do without this.

[Syd knee]

Thanks for the tip, perhaps Le BIB should spend a little of their easily won speeding euros on looking after the roast beef.

[zs]

Garlick said:

Good advice, thank you

+1 thanks

[zs]

gotta remember that on the way back: evening ferry back to UK

[lowdrag]

jackson1204 said:

The Aires will a burial round if they try on touch us
last year we see a load of blokes running across the autoroute on the way to the ferry

Obviously you are impervious to .38 bullets then. Several were carrying revolvers.

[fatboy18]

So being a Roast Beef tourist, if we suspected any trouble or got caught up in some, is there a french equivalent of 999 And if so do they speak Beef? OR are we on our own?

[m787b]

Be very carreful in circuit campsites too ! In 2006 and 2008, people next to my space lost valuables (Money, Camera, Mobil phone...) during the night. The stealer opened the tent door and take things when people sleep. Last year it was saturday morning beetween 4am and 7am (I slept only 3 hours !).

So keep your valuables close to your head (and not close to the tent door) during all the night.

Hope this help !

[The Riddler]

m787b said:

Be very carreful in circuit campsites too ! In 2006 and 2008, people next to my space lost valuables (Money, Camera, Mobil phone...) during the night. The stealer opened the tent door and take things when people sleep. Last year it was saturday morning beetween 4am and 7am (I slept only 3 hours !).

So keep your valuables close to your head (and not close to the tent door) during all the night.

Hope this help !

Or even better, lock all valubles in your car before you go to sleep.